Cengiz

Istanbul Backstreet Culinary Expierences 2

Turkish cuisine, like Turkey itself, channels cultural currents coming in from every direction, resulting in the delicious culinary chaos that is Istanbul. Turks, Greeks, Arabs, Persians and countless others have passed through here, leaving an indelible stamp on the cuisine. Historians speak of the “layered” nature of the city; we like to think of Istanbul as a stew. Our culinary walks and cooking classes in Istanbul are designed to lead visitors on an eating binge through the city’s lesser-seen historic side streets and authentic markets, taking in countless hard-to-find culinary gems and, in between bites, a select number of untouristed monuments.

ITINERARY

Day 1 - Thursday

Transfer and accommodation at the hotel.

hotel - 1 night

DAY 2

Day 2 - Friday | Culinary B

Istanbul’s Bazaar Quarter is one of the world’s biggest open-air commercial centers, crowned by the planet’s largest covered market, the Grand Bazaar. It is not only a sprawling marketplace specializing in everything from knitting yarn to knockoff purses, but a historic center of small craftsmen
who still carry on their tradition in the atmospheric caravanserais — Ottoman-era trading posts — that dot this area. With all of the shopping, people rarely open their eyes to the culinary treasures of this area, which are well-protected by the merchants and craftsmen who dine here everyday.
Starting in Sirkeci, end point of the fabled Orient Express, we’ll explore the historic caravanserais, meet some traditional craftsmen in their tiny workshops and eat in those hidden-gem restaurants, which, like the merchants themselves, reflect the regional diversity of Turkey. We’ll start the day with a full breakfast celebrating the best of the dairy highlands in Eastern Anatolia, followed by an unusual wedding soup from Konya. Then we’ll make our way through the garment district to a cluster of Ottoman-era hans (traders’ inns), home to a guild of traditional craftsmen in their tiny workshops. There we will have an unforgettable, freshly baked pide before grazing our way in, out and around the Grand Bazaar, taking in a perfect kebab, a bite of Edirne-style liver, and a spread of seasonal, vegetarian mezes. We will drink tea and Turkish coffee in out-of-the-way places, while the sweet notes on this route begin with kadayıf, an Arabian-influenced love letter from the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep, and end with a delicious milk-soaked cake that made its way from Albania to the Istanbul. It’s Istanbul’s Bazaar Quarter as it’s never been seen — or tasted — before.
Note: This walk does include some hills and stairs. Though punctuated by plenty of stops, it can be strenuous at times.
Start / End : 9:30am - 3:00pm
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hotel - 1 night

DAY 3

Day 3 - Saturday | Two Marke

Our favorite Istanbul experiences include exploring the eateries in local markets and crossing the Bosphorus on the public ferry. The “Two Markets, Two Continents” route draws from our best-of list in the European side’s Karaköy neighborhood and the Asian side’s Kadıköy, tied together by a
Bosphorus crossing.
The historic Perşembe Pazarı of Karaköy, where this walk begins, might look like a place to buy springs, ship anchors, hardware and paint supplies, but we’ll go there for breakfast at a lovely little esnaf lokantası run by a husband-and-wife team, followed by a stroll through the atmospheric mariner market streets, where we’ll stop into an Ottoman-era caravanserai for tea. Then we’ll hop the boat to Kadıköy on the Asian side and eat our way through that neighborhood’s market, sampling regional specialties such as Mersin’s tantuni, Gaziantep’s lahmacun and the ıslama köfte of Adapazarı. We’ll continue on toward the lesser-explored culinary hotspot of Moda, where we’ll taste life-changing traditional desserts from Turkey’s Southeast and Black Sea regions.
Start / End : 9:30am - 3:00pm
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Package excludes

Airfare

Personal expenses

Visa, consular 76fees or any other formalities.

Tips

Beverages

Additional journeys and transfers

More information

These informations were accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Changes on the programs are possible due to weather conditions, local holidays, chances on opening hours of ancient cities, museums and other program highlights as well as traffic and special event conditions during the trips and before.

Norika Torikawa, Japan

Dear Polar West Team, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to you during my visit to Europe. Thank you very much for your kind hospitality to make my trip so memorable. I am back home safely. I truly look forward to see you not too far in the future. Once again, thank you very much for everything
you have done.
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